


The Salt in His Kiss

by EmmaKeladry



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Culmets - Freeform, Discovery Institute, Doctor Culber, Fluff, Free Willy AU, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marine Biologist, Merman Paul, Romance, aquarium
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:15:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22423186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmaKeladry/pseuds/EmmaKeladry
Summary: Dr. Hugh Culber, marine biologist, is invited to the Discovery Aquatic Institute to work on a special project. Hugh is shocked to discover that the "special project" is a beautiful creature with blond hair, blue eyes, and he's a merman. But he's not what Hugh expected and falling for him is easier than he dreamed. But everything isn't as it seems.
Relationships: Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	The Salt in His Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Just an idea that I brainstormed on the Discord after watching the movie, Free Willy, and wondering what if Paul were a merman. The story was born! Hope you like it! :)

Doctor Hugh Culber walked up to the gates of the Discovery Aquatic Institute, baulking slightly at the image of the orca whale painted on the wall near the entrance. Animals didn’t belong in captivity. He’d been recruited for a special project by the director, a man named Gabriel Lorca, though he had no idea what the project was. The Discovery Institute was famous for their attention to details, preserving the original environment of their occupants, to give them the closest recreation. It was new but hadn’t financially done the best in the past five years. Hugh heard rumors about some poor behavior from the top management, but he wasn’t sure it was from a reliable source.

Hugh walked past a little girl holding a yellow balloon and squeezing her dad’s hand as she pointed at a sign for seals. He smiled and asked the ice cream vendor where the main office was. He kindly gave Hugh directions to a building back from the main path. He knocked on the door. No one answered. He tried again. Alright. Today was the day he was supposed to arrive for his first day of work. Just as he was about to call the number he had on file when a blur of red hair crossed the corner of his vision.

“Hi, can I help you?” a young woman, no older than twenty, asked, nearly dropping the bucket full of fish she carried.

“Yes, I’m Dr. Hugh Culber. I was told to report to the director, Gabriel Lorca for my first day, but I can’t find him.”

“Doctor Culber – of course! Lorca told us you were coming.” She dried her hand on her shorts and extended it to him. “I’m Sylvia Tilly, but everyone calls me Tilly. I’ll be your assistant! Oh my gosh, I forgot you were coming today with everything going on and then Lorca –” Tilly bit down on her lip. “Sorry, sometimes I talk too much.”

“You’re alright. Would you possibly be able to show me where my lab will be so I can put these things down?” Hugh gestured to the box he was carrying, along with the two bags of his supplies.

“Yes, sorry!” Tilly picked up her bucket and gestured for Hugh to follow.

Hugh followed the overexcited assistant to a smaller building, halfway across the aquatic institute. They passed many more exhibits, which looked in great condition, but there were very few guests watching them. It was disheartening, but Hugh understood. Tilly led him to a cracked-open door and stepped into an empty office with lab supplies and a large window on one wall, letting in natural light and giving a nice view of the nearest tank, which didn’t appear to have anything currently occupying it. Not bad. Hugh settled his things on the main desk. The first thing he always did was to put out his favorite framed picture of him and his mother. He carefully set it toward the back of the desk. Hugh kissed his fingers and pressed them to her image. She would’ve loved this place, even if it did mean animals were in captivity. She loved the ocean and all of the creatures within. Hugh watched as Tilly shuffled around a few things, babbling on about forgetting he was coming today and meaning to tidy up a little.

“I need to feed the dolphins. Michael is off today, so I’m helping out with her area. You can come with me and then I can give you a full tour?” Tilly twisted a red curl between her fingers as she talked. She still held the bucket of fish in her other hand.

“Of course. Lead the way.”

Tilly led him outside and down a set of stairs, past the empty tank’s doors. A strange sound caused Hugh to pause a step after the doors. It was a cry, mournful and low with a musical tone that he’d never heard before.

“What was that?” Hugh asked, causing Tilly to stop and turn around.

“What was what?” She grinned, but there was something in her expression that warned him not to continue asking.

“Nothing. It’s been a long day. I should probably stop for some lunch soon and drink water to stay hydrated.”

Tilly’s expression changed slightly, but she managed to hold her excitement. “Right, I should’ve thought of that. It is lunch time and clearly, you’re hungry. I can probably introduce you to more of the staff that way too and Director Lorca should be free, since he’ll want to meet you and make sure you –”

“Tilly,” Hugh calmly interrupted her.

“Sorry. I tend to talk when I’m nervous.”

“That’s okay. Let’s feed the dolphins and then go eat.”

The two of them made light work of the task. Hugh rolled up the sleeves of his button-down shirt and helped her feed the delighted animals. He marveled at how they responded to her as she babbled nonsense to them. One gently bumped her knee as she fed the other. Hugh firmly believed that animals could sense who to trust and Tilly appeared to display qualities that the dolphins trusted. He liked her already.

Once they were finished, Tilly took him to the commissary. Hugh observed those around him as he took a tray and picked out a delicious looking salad, fresh fruit, and a cold water. At least the food seemed to be very promising. Tilly waved to a group of people and headed in that direction. Hugh paid for his meal and followed her over to the table as she gestured for him to follow. She quickly introduced him to a tall man with dark hair swept back into a bun and thick facial hair; Ash, who worked with security. Hugh wouldn’t have pegged him as security with his attire, but he claimed it was his day off, but he was helping with another special project. An almost solemn looking man named Saru greeted him softly, explaining that he worked with supervising the employees and trainers. Hugh didn’t quite catch what Owo, Keyla, Gen, Bryce, and Ariam did. They welcomed him to Discovery and insisted he sit down. Hugh smiled, sitting across from Saru.

“Where did you work before coming to Discovery, Dr. Culber?” Saru asked softly.

“Hugh. Please call me Hugh. I worked for a specialized institute in San Francisco. Your director, Gabriel Lorca found my information and insisted that I come work for him on a unique project. I don’t know the full extent of the project yet, but I’m intrigued.” Hugh took a bite of his salad, realizing his previous thought was correct about the state of the food.

Tilly almost dropped her fork to the floor, making a loud clattering sound. “Sorry.”

The group laughed as her cheeks turned nearly as red as her hair. The laughter abruptly cut-off. Hugh felt a small shiver run up his back, but he didn’t know why. A man approached the table. He had broad shoulders, brown hair, and an almost pained expression on his face. The expression quickly changed as he approached the table. He clapped one hand on Ash’s shoulder and smiled.

“Hello, how’s everyone doing today?” he asked, taking time to look at each of their faces.

“Good,” Tilly blurted out.

He turned his attention to Hugh last. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced yet, but I recognize you. It’s nice to meet you, Doctor Culber. I’m Gabriel Lorca, the director of Discovery.” Lorca extended his hand. “Call me Lorca.”

Hugh quickly shook it. “Hugh, please. And thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for not meeting you earlier. Tilly explained you were working on a project. She was kind enough to help me get settled in my new office.”

“Not a problem.” Lorca released his hand. “When you’re done, Tilly can show you the way to my office and I’ll help you get the final paperwork sorted out. We want to get you working on your project as soon as possible.”

Hugh opened his mouth to ask more details about his project but closed it. He doubted that Lorca would give him any more information in the presence of people he didn’t know were knowledgeable about the project or not. Better to wait until they met in private. Lorca dismissed himself and walked away. Hugh watched him, feeling his unease dissipate. There was something about his new boss that made him slightly uncomfortable.

**DISCO DISCO**

Two days of paperwork, trainings, setting up his lab in detail, and still not receiving any more information about his special project – it was beginning to irritate Hugh. Lorca promised to bring him an important sample in the afternoon. Tilly buzzed around their lab, trying to give him tidbits of information about their unique project, but she kept stopping herself and shuffling papers back into her hands. Hugh sighed. He looked up from his laptop as a young woman knocked and stepped into the lab.

“Hi, I’m Michael Burnham. I’m Tilly’s roommate and I wanted to introduce myself.”

“Nice to meet you.” Hugh shook her hand.

“Tilly has told me great things about you. She’s very impressed by your work and likes working with you so far.”

Hugh blushed as he heard Tilly let out a soft yelp. “Thank you.”

Tilly walked over to the door and gently bumped Michael’s shoulder. “We’re going to get some coffee. Would you like some?”

“No thank you. I’ve already had two cups. I should probably wait until lunch for the third.”

Both women laughed and headed down the pathway. Hugh closed his laptop. He stretched and stepped outside into the fresh air. The sun hadn’t warmed it up too much yet, but the temperature was climbing. Hugh loved the warmth of the sun on his skin. The strange, mournful sound came again. Hugh thought he’d heard it the day before but decided against saying anything to Tilly. He glanced at the empty tank and frowned. It wasn’t empty today. He could see several workers in the small containment area to the side, wrestling with a net. The same sound, more insistent, came from that area. Hugh headed down the concrete steps and stopped at the enclosure door. It was still locked. He barely managed to duck out of sight as the door opened and Gen hurried past. Hugh stuck his toe out and snagged the door before it locked.

“Hold it tight!”

Hugh heard the voice yelling as he snuck up the steps to the main deck and into the open arena surrounding the tank. The containment area was a bustle of noise and action. Whatever they were trying to hold, it wasn’t working.

“Hold him! Grab that tie.”

“Don’t let him up! He’ll hurt himself more!”

Hugh tried to focus on the movement in the water. Hugh stepped closer. His eyes focused on the pale face of the most handsome man he'd ever seen. Blond hair, almost white in the sunlight, his blue eyes like shimmery crystals and water dripped from his blond eyelashes. It took Hugh a few seconds to glance away and see that three men were attempting to hold him down as he thrashed about, splashing water with his... blue tail, strong and majestic, but confined by the holders and the containment pool. The... merman as Hugh determined thrashed again, twisting his body and revealing a long deep gash on his side, held together with some sort of stitches, which were poorly sewn. All of the creature’s movements were tearing about the holdings and opening the wound. Similar markings and wounds were spread across his tail and chest as smaller wounds. The creature let out a mournful sound that left Hugh breathless. _They were hurting him_.

Hugh’s instincts kicked in. He leapt forward in one smooth movement and hit the release of the net in the closest corner. Those attempting to keep him in the net were forced to hit the release of the other sides and reel the net in.

The merman took the opportunity to slip out of the men's grasp and duck beneath the gate leading to the larger pool. Hugh marveled at how quickly he moved in the water. A slight discoloration followed his movements. Blood. Hugh winced in sympathy. The creature stayed at the furthest part of the tank, deep beneath the water. Hugh wondered if he had to come to the surface to breathe or if he had the ability to breathe through gills.

“Doctor.” Lorca came to stand beside him. “This is why you’re here. We’ve been trying to treat him with no success. We managed to sedate him and tend his wounds, but the sedation had negative effects, making him sick. He won’t let us get near him. He won’t eat. If we don’t do something, he won’t make it.”

Hugh swallowed, trying to find his words. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to respond in anger that such a beautiful creature was being held in captivity, or in sorrow that they had hurt this being. But he had to help him. “Where did he come from?” His words surprised him. It wasn’t what he intended to say.

“Caught in a net, he was brought here. Once he’s healthy, he can leave.”

A sinking feeling settled in Hugh’s stomach, but he nodded. “Okay. I’ll do my best to save him.”


End file.
